Tag Archives: La Jolla

Sugar and Scribe

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Before we get into this week’s review, I have to tell you how we got here because it’s wild.  I wanted to cover a brunch place this season and I made my choice based on suggestions from readers; The Seventh House in North Park.  We made reservations, got a group together (comprised of mostly first time BW8SD panelists), filmed an entire episode, recorded the podcast, I completed the opening animation of the restaurant.  The turnaround time from production to launch on YouTube is about a month so I was well into production on this episode when a friend dropped into my DM’s with a link from a  Facebook group post about Seventh House.  It didn’t exist anymore.  In fact, it was changing its menu, format and had a new name.  The link included a photo with the new name in giant letters above the doorway where “The Seventh House” once stood, just days before.  We had only been there maybe 2 weeks ago.  I’ve had restaurants close after I’ve had the chance to review them.  I’ve seen places close before I could get to them (I’m sure you were lovely, Hoxton Manor).  But I’ve never seen a place close before my review could even go to press!  So the episode covering my visit to Seventh House will now assume its final resting place on the cutting room floor.  Apologies to my team, who put in some fabulous work on that episode and to Seventh House because the food was really good, even if the place was overdesigned and they had the music so loud I could barely eat with Adele screaming about her breakup in my face at 10am on a Saturday.  So the scramble was on to find a new brunch place and, yes, it had  to be a brunch place. Why, you ask?

Lemme tell ya a few eternal truths about The Gays ™ 

We are every walk of life, existing in every known and unknown space in the universe since the dawn of time but we remained in the shadows until musicals were invented.  We are all actively trying to kill Jennifer Coolidge and we love brunch.  Like, love it.  An iconic Season one episode of The Simpsons titled “Life in The Fast Lane” called brunch “Not quite breakfast, not quite lunch but you get a slice of cantaloupe at the end and you get a good meal”.  Brunch was already pretty common place in 1990 so I’ll refrain from tossing this on top of the already mountainous pile of creepy future predictions The Simpsons got exactly right.   Brunch got it’s start as the British Hunt Breakfast. A meal typically held between 10am-1pm which takes the place of breakfast and lunch.  It rose to popularity in the U.S. during 1930’s and,as with all things in culture, once the queens got hold of it, it elevated to transcendent levels.  Props to the forward thinking person(s?) who believed the first meal of the day could be improved upon and said “Let’s sleep in, eat breakfast late, gossip with our friends and get completely trashed on champagne with a shot of orange juice in it!”.  I’ve been to brunch hundreds of times but I always marvel at how much these servers think I can drink.  Like, do I look depressed?  I mean, I am but I thought I was playing it closer to the vest than that. The Hunt breakfast is still going strong in the gayborhood, the only that’s changed is the food, the drink and what’s being hunted… 

So, what is it about brunch that we love so much?  You can pretty much binge drink at any meal with the right attitude but that could go badly and next thing you know you’ve “Ruined Thanksgiving again”.  It’s festive.  There’s always more to choose from on the menu with both breakfast and lunch-y things.  The sweet people are happy.  The savory people are happy.  The drunk people are under the table before the bread course arrives.  Everyone wins.  

Sugar and Scribe is a full-service restaurant that serves all day brunch in downtown La Jolla and is owned by Food Network Champion chef Maeve Rochford, who was lovely, seated our table and answered my many questions.  While savory items are offered, a prime draw for me was the in-house bakery, which has received accolades from Yelp and San Diego Magazine.  Savory items? Check.  Mimosas?  Check.  Bakery? Double Check.  I was ready and so was my ever-ready brunch bunch.  

Aimee-Roommate since the 90’s, BFF, allergic to hot dogs and therefore labeled a commie by many

David-Wonder Woman superfan, musical theatre enthusiast, the narrator’s love interest

Harry-The I.T. guy, equal parts Type A and goofy as all get out, He probably knows how to fix that.

Kelsey-Project manager, Keeper of Christmas, has been known to drop it like it’s hot

Joseph-Music educator, loves just about every food I won’t touch, masterclass Dad joker

Shannan-Medical examiner, pumpkin enthusiast, drives the coolest car you’ve ever seen

We’re here to pretend to eat like adults before diving into the sugar.

Sugar and Scribe does not take reservations.  No exceptions.  I was anticipating that our large group would have a Disneyland-level wait ahead of us.  Imagine my surprise when they had us seated in less than 15 minutes.  The look of this place is great.  Really quaint, well thought out and designed.  Far less stuffy upscale and way more countryside bed and breakfast.  The best word I can use is it’s just lovely.  A relaxing contrast to the almost frantic pace of our meal.  The service was surprisingly fast.  I went to use the bathroom before we ordered and when I came back from the bathroom, our food was on the table.  Granted I was in line behind four people I was sure had never used a bathroom before but still impressive.  Our food arrived so quickly, it made more than one person at the table question how much of the food had been made in advance.   

Brunch gonna brunch so I started with a Caramelized Pineapple Mimosa.  It was tasty and disarmingly strong (not that I’m complaining).  Rather than a garnish, the pineapple was integrated throughout the drink but if you’re not a fan of orange juice pulp, this probably isn’t for you.  It was not a problem for me.  Shannan ordered the Cranberry Mimosa.  She loved the beautiful presentation and said it was delicious.  Harry ordered the S&S Bloody (Sabe straight, Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix, Spicy Green Beans, Blue Cheese stuffed Olive and a Celery Stalk).  He enjoyed to good spice level and called it a nice take on a classic Bloody Mary.  I’m just impressed the glass didn’t tip over from the garnish or give me heartburn simply by looking at it. 

For non-alcoholic choices, Shannan loved the Toasted Marshmallow Latte with Vanilla and Coconut.   Aimee got the Butterfly Pea Lemonade (a recent discovery and new favorite of hers).  She said it was delicious and very purple.  All the good things.  She wasn’t kidding.  The color of this drink was so vibrant and beautiful.  Stunning saturation on that pigment.  David had the S&S Hot Chocolate with housemade Marshmallow Whipped Cream and chocolate sauce.  While he loved the whipped cream, he wasn’t getting much chocolate or richness from the hot chocolate.  I tried some and I agree.  Delicious whipped cream but, to me, the hot chocolate tasted like a water base rather than a milk base. Sugar and Scribe serves up Dark Horse Coffee, which Joseph.  The former coffee shop manager said Dark Horse is always a good choice, providing a great depth of flavor without being too carbony.     

My thinking was I’d order something savory and substantial for my meal and then choose the sweets I wanted.  I wasn’t trying to do sugar on top of sugar on top of sugar.  I got the Protein Scramble (Scrambled egg whites, roasted chicken, cremini mushrooms, asparagus, arugula, chives and parmesan) with a side of potatoes and wheat toast.  I won’t say my socks were blown off by this admittedly pedestrian choice but it was well made with a great flavor to the mushrooms and good cuts of asparagus throughout.  I don’t normally put jam on my toast but the mixed berry jam they served alongside it was super tasty.  Shannan ordered the same breakfast and also praised how well the dish was made and the jam, which wasn’t quite as magical on their gluten free bread, but was still a highlight.

The one I wound up with

What I should have ordered is what Aimee had; Bread Pudding French Toast (Cinnamon Bread Pudding, Whiskey Caramel Sauce, Trecale Maple Syrup, Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream, Bananas, Candied Pecans and edible petals).  She said the dish was very yummy and especially loved that the toppings were all included on the side so she could build her perfect bite.  She shared it with me and it was pretty outstanding.  I had an immediate case of Brunch Regret.  

The one that got away

Harry got the Lox Plate (Norwegian smoked Salmon, Greens, Capers, Crème Fraiche, Red Onion, Dill cream cheese, Heirloom Tomato, Cucumber on a Big City Everything Bagel).  Another beautiful plating.  He enjoyed the healthy serving of lox and the herbed cream cheese.  Plus the bagel was nicely toasted.  

David had the Naughty Skillet (BBQ Beef, Roasted Potatoes, Irish White Cheddar, Two Eggs and Spicy Sriracha Hollandaise).  He said everything in the dish was done perfectly.  David’s not one to order spicy food but said the heat level of this meal was just right with a generous portion.  He pretty much licked the plate.  High marks indeed.    

Joseph ordered the Spicy Shashuka Sunrise Skillet (Fire roasted Tomatoes, Onion, Garlic, Red Bell pepper, Fresno Pepper, Cilantro, Yellow Onion, Feta, Harissa Paste, Cumin, Chili Flakes, Two Eggs with Levain on the side).  He called it super delicious.  The poached eggs blended so well with everything in the skillet.  He wouldn’t mind a thicker toast with it than the one that arrived but he loved it.  

Kelsey got the Butter Poached Lobster Benedict (Poached Eggs, Main Lobster, Arugula, Parlsey, White Rosemary Hollandaise, Old Bay and an English Muffin).  She strongly suspected the dish had been prepared in advance as it was cold and overcooked in places.  While Kelsey said the overall flavor was fine, there was no one strong flavor coming through, which is saying something with a Rosemary Hollandaise and Old Bay on the plate.  She also had a lemon curd pancake, which had lemon curd in the batter but not on top, which was giving more lemon-flavored pancake than anything else.   

One of the more anticipated items on the menu was the Scotch Egg (a soft boiled egg surrounded by chicken sausage, deep fried golden brown and served with Red Eye Gravy).  I’m grossed out by any non-scrambled egg so it wasn’t for me but it received high marks from nearly everyone else.  Shannan loved the mild spice of the chicken sausage.  Harry praised the perfectly soft egg and called it a “must order”.  Aimee loved it, calling the fry on it perfect.  GBD (Golden Brown Delicious).  

It saddens me to say, the only real downside for me in this trip was the desserts.  I was puzzled that there’s no dessert offered on the menu.  I was assume an in-house bakery meant we could enjoy something at the table but I’ve realized in the days since that there’s plenty of sweet brunch options offered on the menu that dessert might be overkill to normal people and not sugar fiends like the narrator.  The desserts in the case (and on racks near the entrance) are all prepackaged.  They are beautiful.  Works of art.  If the saying is true that you eat with your eyes first, you’ll be stuffed before you even have a bite.  I ordered the beautiful glittered rainbow sprinkled cake pop and a box of my favorite baked treat of all time; Petit Fours.  I love them because it’s a way you can eat a whole cake without guilt or a tummy ache.  The featured flavor was blackberry with a dog days of Summer decoration.  Adorable.  Again, Instagram-ready.  I’m sorry to say the cake pop’s exterior was rock hard with only a mildly sweet chocolate cake inside.  The real heartache for me was the Petit Fours.  The marzipan was a bit heavy handed with almond extract, which I could get past, if they weren’t so dry.  I understand that pre-packaged baked goods need to have a shelf life and that can be hard to achieve without pumping them full of preservatives, but these had sat on that shelf for a noticeable while.  Kelsey also got a box and had an identical experience.   

Much like some of my exes, very cute but fell apart once I took a fork to it.

Joseph shared one of his Ginger Molasses Cookies with me.  We both had the same shelf-life issue with the cookie.  For me, it went from chewy to stale tasting.  A disappointment.  Aimee and I shared the Peanut Butter Chocolate Layer Cake.  This is another shining example of how beautiful these baked goods are (she’s a stunner!  I took professional photos of it!).  Aimee enjoyed the Peanut Butter Buttercream on top.  For me, the texture was too hardened.  It came off in chunks.  While the shiny gold sprinkles on top made the cake Instagram-ready,  Aimee said it was too much.  While the sprinkles are all edible, they’re super hard and not pleasant to eat.  We both agreed the cake had dried out, which bummed us out. 

Looks 10, Dances 3

So while the bakery sweets were a swing and a miss across the board, the brunch itself was very good and enjoyed by all of us.  We will definitely be going back.  For me, I know where I went wrong.  No more responsible, health-conscious breakfasting for me.  Bring on the Sugar (and Scribe)!

Watch the YouTube episode: http://www.youtube.com/@TheBoyWhoAteSanDiego

Listen to the Podcast episode: https://theboywhoatesandiego.podbean.com/

Bijou (45 of 52) (CLOSED)

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Several hours after this week’s challenge, I awoke in a darkened room feeling the fire of a thousand volcanoes rumbling in my chest.  As I chewed a fist full of Tums & went back to bed, I said in my best Madonna voice “Absolutely no regrets”.  Obviously, this serves as proof that I don’t eat 14 pounds of fried butter on the regular (So yes, Dr. F, you can rest easy).  This can only mean this week’s challenge is French food!  Bijou in La Jolla is the Sister restaurant of a place I covered earlier this year on the blog, the fabulous Addison Del Mar. Expectations were high as my friends and I arrived in our fanciest eatin’ pants.

Aimee-Roommate since the 90’s, BFF, allergic to hot dogs and therefore labeled a commie by many

Amy B-Vegetarian Belle, Author, Event Planner

Amy J-Rocky Horror performer, Michigan football loyalist, a common floozy

Chris-Attorney, lifelong food snob, loves good Scotch and gay jeans

Craig-Jackie’s lucky and mysterious other half, picture unavailable

Harry-Wise guy, master of the grill, loves camping for some reason

Jackie-Awesome Soprano, fellow East Coast transplant, Has a Vegas story or two

After this dinner we started to think that French people may actually be too lethargic to move when someone starts playing a Jerry Lewis film and that's how that whole rumor got started.

After this dinner we started to think that French people may actually be too lethargic to move when someone starts playing a Jerry Lewis film and that’s how that whole rumor got started.

Bijou is luxurious and elegant without feeling super stuffy.  The staff was very attentive and knowledgeable.  They made us feel very at home and did a bang up job at keep a straight face while we butchered every word on the menu.   Fortunately booze transcends all language barriers, so we started from there.  Aimee had the Peche Champgane Cocktail, which she said was great.  Chris ordered a Blue Mint. Chris and Amy B both had a “starter” cocktail (Pear Vodka, Germain, Lemon Juice, Grapefruit juice and basil).  They said both cocktails were flawless.  Amy B also had Aligote for her wine.  Harry got the Kentucky Bees Knees.  Amy J had the “Yellow Jacket”.  They both enjoyed their drinks.  High marks to the bar.

The chef was feeling generous (or bored.  Either way, Yay.) that night so he sent out a few bites for the table to enjoy.  The first was the Oeufs Mayonnaise.  Basically the French version of a deviled egg.  I’m not a fan of eggs, so I gave mine to Aimee.  She said it was good.  Nothing to scream about but a really good deviled egg.  The second bite he sent out was a beautiful pork belly.  I don’t think I’ve ever used the word “creamy” to describe meat before but it just melted in your mouth.  Really spectacular.  A perfect bite of pork.

For starters, Aimee ordered the Salmon Rillettes (with toasted baguette, radish and onions).  She said the dish was incredibly rich and sized for sharing.  The radish and cornichons really added great crunch and broke up some of the fattiness of the fish.  Chris and Craig both got the Escargot en Croute.  Craig said the dish was well prepared.  Jackie started with the French Onion Soup.  She said it was awesomely cheesey and she loved the browned part of the cheese on top.  I ordered the steak tartare.  I’d had it before but had forgotten that it came with a raw egg yolk on top. While I almost always bend to my ridiculous food fussings, I decided it was time to man up (er, “boy” up?) and try it.  I quickly cut up the egg yolk and just told myself it was a sauce.  It added a great richness to an already lovely pile of raw steak.  I love a good tartare.  true story.  Still not eating eggs though because gross and no.

Like all things I don't like, I quickly sliced it up and ate it before I even had time to think about what was happening.

Like all things I don’t like, I quickly sliced it up and ate it before I even had time to think about what was happening.

For our main dishes,  Aimee got the Steak Frites.  She called it easily one of the top 5 best steaks she’s had in her life.  She loved the compound butter on top that added great saltiness.   Chris had the Coq au Vin.  While he said it was good, it struggled to meet expectations after our experience at Addison.  Harry ordered the Loup de Mer (Ratatouille).  He said it was pretty much the second best meal he’s had this year (behind Addison, of course.  Have I mentioned how hardcore we ride that place’s jock?).  Rich, savory and buttery.  He loved it all.  The Amys split the Gnocchi al la Parisienne, Mushroom Ragout and Haricots Verts.  Amy B found the gnocchi to be delicious with an usual texture (Bijou makes its gnocchi from flour rather than the traditional potato.  Super light!)  and a great buttery sauce.  She also gave high marks to the Haricots Verts (green beans) and mushrooms.  Amy J also found the gnocchi to be a flavorful highlight.  Craig ordered the Veal Pailiard (with arugula, tomatoes and mushrooms)  Jackie and I both ordered the Lobster Gratin.  The dish was incredibly rich and flavorful.  Warm and savory with huge, tender and delicately sweet chunks of lobster with mushrooms and various veggies that married perfectly with the rest of the dish.

I printed this picture out so instead of wasting both our time with a list of foods I shouldn't be eating, my Doctor can simply point to it.

I printed this picture out so instead of wasting both our time with a list of foods I shouldn’t be eating, my Doctor can simply point to it.

Dinner in a French restaurant without having dessert almost seems stupid.  So we ordered just about everything on the dessert menu.  Hilariously the only thing we didn’t order was the creme brulee which I don’t doubt was awesome but stomach real estate for all involved was at a premium by now.  We were looking to break some new ground and we did with one particular dessert, which I’ll get to in a moment.   Other dishes served were Brown butter Clafoutis.  Macarons Du Jour.  Pot de Creme.  Fruit tart with Lemon Curd.  The standouts according to most diners were the Clafoutis & Pot de Creme.  All of the desserts were fabulous but one simply rose above to a whole different level altogether.  The “Paris Brest” is a light pastry with a hole in the center (Think a croissant shaped donut.  Hey, what a novel idea!) in the center they pipe in almond cream, sprinkle toasted almonds on top and drizzle with caramel.  It’s the best dessert I’ve had on this entire challenge.  It’s also only $10 and I dream of it fortnightly.  Life changing-level fat kid bliss.

As gay man, here is a pair of brests I would happily throw my face between forever.

As gay man, here is a pair of brests I would happily throw my face between forever.

The final verdict from me on Bijou is a positive one.  While others with me felt there are better places to go to drop that kind of money on dinner, I really liked what they had to offer.  Addison is not special occasion dining, it’s once a year dining but I feel that Bijou is a good special occasion place, especially if you love French food.  You’ll drop a pretty penny but it’s accessibly priced for upscale dining and you will get an expertly crafted, elegant and tasty dining experience.

Further reading

To see all of the photos from this dinner, be sure to follow The Boy who ate San Diego on Instagram!

Nine Ten (41 of 52)

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La Jolla, California (the neighborhood I work in) is known for being a lavish beach side community where the wealthiest of San Diegans enjoy fine dining, art museums and occasionally perform charitable acts of handing a dollar to any lost middle class folks they see wandering the sidewalks.  The restaurants are known for being equally swanky and unapproachable but this week’s restaurant, Nine Ten, is here to dispell that image.  Joining me for this upscale dining romp are the following friends:

Aimee-Roommate since the 90’s, BFF, allergic to hot dogs and therefore labeled a commie by many

Amy-Rocky Horror performer, Michigan football loyalist, a common floozy

Chris-Attorney, lifelong food snob, loves good Scotch and gay jeans

Harry-Wise guy, master of the grill, loves camping for some reason

Samantha-My co-star in “Five Course Love”, Aubrey Award winner, A sometimes Amish Jew

Party of 6, here at 7 to see if Nine Ten is the one.

Party of 6, here at 7 to see if Nine Ten is the one.

We found the atmosphere at Nine Ten to be surprisingly chill and welcoming.  They couldn’t seat our party in the regular dining room so they instead gave us our own back patio table, complete with crisp night air, the gentle sound of the ocean and a busser that looked like 80’s TV icon, my boyhood Daddy fantasty and Father of hot-but-douchey pop misogynists, Alan Thicke.  Throw in a delightful singing server named Amy and it made for one magical evening.

For pre-dinner cocktails, Chris ordered the “Ryes an Fall” (Rye whiskey, cognac, Peche de Vigne & Lemon), which he seemed to enjoy.  Harry had a Saserac, which he said was tasty.  He and I also both had the “Endless Summer” (Sailor Jerry, Apricot Brandy, Ginger Beer & lemon) It’s like adult lemonade with alcohol.  Anything that takes my childhood and mixes it with copious amounts of liquor that doesn’t involve an abusive home life, I’m all for!  Samantha got a traditional martini with blue cheese stuffed olives.  She was a huge fan of this drink and particularly the blue cheese.

For our appetizers, Aimee had the house version of Chicken & Dumplings.  She said it was delicious with a great both.   Chris got the Shrimp Toast at the bar, which he said was not amazing but was a beautiful presentation.  He also had the House Cured Smoked Salmon (cucumber, apple, baby potatoes, fennel, radish, rye bread, charred dill oil & whey crème fraiche vinaigrette) which he called a “great starter”.  Harry had the Lamb Tartare (black garlic, orange chili oil, pickled onion, cured egg yolk & masa cracker).  He really enjoyed the pine nut flavors and delightfully delayed kick on the finish.

Samantha got the Jonah Crab Salad (pickled avocado, lobster knuckle, blood oranges, pickled ramps bulbs, herbs, buttermilk dressing and hot sauce powder) She had no idea there was even such a things a lobster knuckles but said the Buttermilk dressing was SO good with the fresh crab meat.  Amy had the Heirloom Tomato Salad (Chino farms tomatoes, Spring onions, Shaved Turnips, Watermelon Radish, Smoked Feta, Mustard Frill, Purple Cress, African Basil Vinegar & Vadouvan Oil).  She loved the amount of flavor in such a simple salad.   I had the Maine Lobster & Hiutlacoche Agnolotti (Chino Farms corn, lobster mushrooms, herbs).  It was pretty damned fantastic.  As one always ready to rub my native-New Englander bragging rights in anyone’s face, the lobster was on point.  Fresh, tender, delicately sweet.  The Corn and pasta were amazing together.  Really solid opener.  Would go back for this alone.

Nine ten 1

I don’t know which cave man got the idea to crack open a giant sea bug one day and eat it’s innards but, boy am I ever glad they did.

For our main courses, Aimee ordered the Pumpkin Seed Crusted Lamb Loin (torpedo onions, roasted acorn squash, kale, pomegranate seeds, lamb pancetta, squash puree & lamb pomegranate jus).  She called this the best lamb dish she’s had in this entire challenge.  She said it was perfectly executed with an outstanding sauce.  Amy had the Chino Farms Butternut Squash rice Grits (roasted mushrooms, acorn squash, pickled squash, pumpkin seed crumble, brussel sprouts & herbs)  She called them amazing with great flavors and textures.  She appreciated the fact that the vegetarian dishes offered were all well thought out and not just “Non-meat stuff”.

The head chef at Nine Ten, Jason Knibb, was offering something special the night we were there.  He hails from Montego Bay, Jamaica and cut up a whole goat (not, like, at our table.  My God.  Could you imagine?)  Harry felt a need to jump on this opportunity, for science.  It was his first time having goat and he really liked it.  It included a mushroom cream which he thought was divine.  I don’t have any more details about the dish because it’s not on the menu but I did want to include it because it speaks to the skill set of a very talented chef.

Chris had the Hay Smoked Duck (Not be confused with Hey!  Smoked Duck!) with roasted asian pears, anson mills farro, huckleberries, duck egg sabayon, puffed wild rice & duck jus.  He said it could actually be the best duck he’s ever had.  As Chris taught me “If pigs could fly, they’d taste like duck”.  It’s a nice metaphor best taken at face value because the mechanics of such an image are really upsetting.  Samantha and I both ordered the Braised Prime Beef Short Rib (roasted beets, baby artichokes, brussels sprouts, savoy cabbage puree, fried brussells sprout leaves & horseradish beet vinaigrette).  Samantha thought they were amazing.  Fork tender with a great sauce.  She also enjoyed the crispyness of the brussells sprouts.  As for me, I thought they were another hit at what had so far been a pretty impressive meal.  Rich, tender and full of flavor.  Chef Jason for sure knows how to cook some meat.  Delicious!

Nine Ten 2

I tried to do some tie-in joke with the In Living Color sketch about that Jamaican family who each had a dozen jobs but every single version had me coming off as a huge racist, so instead I offer you this: Hey! Meat! Tasty!

With such a great meal so far, there was no way we were skipping dessert.  Aimee had the Maple & Apple Butter Cream Puff (white cheddar crumb, local apples, maple & hay ice cream).  She loved its beautiful texture and thought the cheese crumb was great.  She mentioned that the ice cream wasn’t really even necessary for this dessert, one of the best composed we’ve tasted.  Chris ordered the Vanilla Flan Tart (Caramelized Hazelnut, poached pear & Hazelnut whipped cream).  I got the 1/2 Baked Chocolate Cake (with caramel sauce and Vanilla ice Cream) It was sweet, ooey, gooey, warm and chocolatey.  The smartest aspect of this dish is that it’s served in a cup about the size of a coffee cup: the perfect amount.  A great, decadent cap off to a great meal.

Nine Ten 3

Half baked chocolate cake. Had I known doing a half assed job at something could lead to such amazing results, I would’ve exerted far less effort in my life.

So in closing, we really had a great night.  Nine Ten offers upscale fine dining tastes with a friendly attitude.  This place is certainly on the more high-end price wise but it wasn’t so expensive that you would only eat there once a year.  Everyone at the table would go back (that includes the most important opinion: mine!)

Further reading: http://www.nine-ten.com/

To see all of the pictures from this meal be sure to follow The Boy who ate San Diego on Instagram!

Cafe Japengo (18 of 52) (CLOSED)

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The culinary arts, much like college, are a breeding ground for experimentation.  At whatever point in history it happened, some forward-thinking person decided food “A” needed to be combined with food “B” and BOOM!  The “food fusion” was born.  Not to be confused with the “Ford Fusion”, which is far less tasty and far more expensive than the meal in this week’s challenge.  Located in the swanky hills of La Jolla, Cafe Japengo is serving up Japanese fusion, cool cocktails and adventure.  The “adventure” part really only happens if you try to go to this restaurant without using the valet to park.  We wound up parking in the nearby Hyatt hotel parking lot, riding up several elevators and gate crashing at least 3 private events en route to Cafe Japengo.   But I did it, joined by my fearless “Charlie’s Angels” trio of ladyfriend dining companions:

Aimee-Roommate since the 90’s, BFF, allergic to hot dogs and therefore labeled a commie by many

Kelsey-Project manager, Advanced level foodie, Has been known to drop it like it’s hot after a few cocktails

Mandy-Writer, Top-shelf level geek girl, lives in my pocket

Image

Don’t let the calm looking demeanor fool you, inside these people are sushi fiends screaming for satisfaction.

The look of Japengo is cool and upscale with a heapin’ helping of hip.  We were eager to get started with some appetizers and cocktails.  Mandy ordered the Sakura Blossom: Hibiki Japanese Whisky,  Sake, Plum wine and bitters.  She mentioned the whisky was a bit heavy handed but the cockatil had a very pleasing sweet note on the back end.  Aimee (the only person in our group to have lived in Japan for a short spell) ordered a Meibo Sake, which she said was excellent.

The appetizers that were ordered included the Curry Dusted Calamari with Thai Lime Vinaigrette, chuka salad and grapes (not a typo. IT’S FUSION, PEOPLE!).   Kelsey called the Calamari good but unevenly seasoned.   She found the grapes to be a very nice surprise.    Aimee also found the calamari unevenly seasoned but the crispy noodles and grapes were nice.   Mandy confirmed a unanimous ruling that the calamari was unevenly seasoned with a bit too much breading for her.

I have absolutely no interest in Calamari so I ordered an appetizer that sounded delicious and definitely stood out for it’s “WTF-ness”.  Truffled Nori Fries with parmesan & furikaki with garlic aioli and wasabi mayo.  This was undoubtedly the biggest stretch on the menu as far as things that barely qualified as Asian but they sounded too good to pass up.    I found them tasty and aromatic with great sauces.  Creamy, rich, spicy and perfectly sized.   While they found them an odd addition to the menu, Aimee and Mandy both agreed the fries were very good.

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Proof that “Delicious” will always trump “Authentic”

Main courses were next.  Kelsey and Aimee both ordered the Char-Siu roasted Duck with local market vegetables, Karobuta Bacon, house made Plum Sauce and 3 Bao buns.  Kelsey said the duck was good but felt 3 Bao wasn’t enough as the portions are most certainly sized for sharing.  Aimee praised the duck and it’s sauce as “perfect”.  The side vegetables were also great.

I ordered Vietnamese Pork with Harusame Noodles, jalapeno, asparagus, mint, grilled eggplant, portabello mushroom & Hoisin.  It was friggin’ delicious.  Tender pork, so full of bold savory flavors.  I loved the sauce and mix of textures added by the asparagus and eggplant.  The noodles were also great.  The whole dish was a winner.

The only thing I have to remember this awesome dinner by as my leftovers were unceremoniously thrown out when someone at my work decided to clean out the fridge. At 9am. Yes, I am still pissed about it...

The only thing I have to remember this awesome dinner by as my leftovers were unceremoniously thrown out when someone at my work decided to clean out the fridge. At 9am. Yes, I am still pissed about it…

We were all also eager to try Japengo’s sushi, so we each ordered some rolls.

Sushi. The most perfect food ever? Y/Y ?

Sushi. The most perfect food ever? Y/Y ?

Kelsey ordered the Fifty/Fifty roll: crab and cucumber on the inside with rice, fresh salmon and yellowtail finished with thin slices of lemon, green onion and ponzu sauce.   Kelsey and Mandy both found the roll good but the lemon slice has got to go.  Too overpowering.  I ordered the Pizza Roll: crab and smoked salmon rolled in rice baked with a crab garlic mayo.  While I’m normally not a fan of baked sushi rolls, I wanted to try it because it seemed like a unique idea.  It was good and had a nice flavor but the baking process did leave each piece with a slightly tough texture.  Aimee ordered her favorite sushi stand-by, Unagi (Eel handrolls).  She said it was good but there’s better Unagi to be found in the city.

Mandy learned all about classic sushi from working in an authentic sushi bar in Massachusetts, so her review of Japengo’s sushi was well-informed and critical.  She ordered the Salmon Nigiri, Spider Roll (Softshell Crab), the Special Albacore Roll (a Shrimp Tempura roll with seared albacore & avocado, finished with Ponzu Masago).  She explained that it’s a personal pet peeve of hers when San Diego sushi restaurants add crab surimi to every roll with the purpose of padding the roll and increasing the price.  She feels it takes away from the flavor of the fish and detracts from the overall quality of the sushi.  Mandy did, however, find the salmon to be fresh and clean cut.   She added that the Spider Roll could use more softshell and less Surimi.

Overall, we felt that while the sushi was not the high point of the meal, the other dishes and drinks made up for it.  Cafe Japengo is a really nice place to go in La Jolla for some solid Asian fusion.

Further reading: http://www.cafejapengo.com/